Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Card game keeps it fun by keeping it simple

The rules of Horse Fair Card Game could not be more simple. Cards are numbered 3 to 7. On their turn, each player lays a card before them. When there are as many of a card as that number, the horse wins and the player collects a horse figurine. Collect four horse figurines and win the game.

Horse Fair is about horses winning blue ribbons. The horses have names like Sundown, Dandy and Rascal. The game takes fifteen minutes to play. The horse figurines are cute as can be.

The response from a group of 20-40 year old men after playing was telling, "I really enjoyed Horse Fair, even though I'm not a little girl," one said. By all rights this should be a game that only an 8-year-old would love, but there is an x-factor of fun in Horse Fair that appeals to game all types people, and not just little girls.

Players get to keep the cards of the horse that wins, so players find themselves talking up their horses, especially if they have more of that card. Soon players are exhorting others to back Snowflake over Firecracker. But the wise player will bow to the prevailing winds and play the card with the horse that will ultimately win. The gentlemen played several games, as each game is over once you have played through the deck, and takes 15 minutes or less to play.

The publishers are planning a video for YouTube that will feature various players testimonies about the game and verifying that they are not, in fact, a little girl. They plan to bill the game as "Horse Fair, the game you don't have to be a little girl to love!" Horse Fair is published by R&R Gamesand Custom Game Co.

What I love about this post is the simple fact that card games doesn't always have to be about gambling. I run a card table blog and many people think that card tables are only used if you like to gamble. Which isn't true. Thanks for shedding some light on this topic and hopefully people can realize that playing cards is harmless.

About Me

I have thirty years experience in publishing and retail. In addition to this column, I co-publish Comic Shop News. I also have a company, Custom Game Co. that creates custom board and card games for companies and organizations.